As we all know by now, last week a very disturbed young man put into action a very elaborate plan to reek havoc on a large number of people and families! The absolute key to his success there was careful and detailed planning! The number of people killed, and the numbers of the injured, pale in comparison to the number of people who will be forever changed by his actions! Who among us will ever walk into a theater again without giving our fellow moviegoers a bit more scrutiny?
The other side of this coin is the fact that his victims were not prepared at all. I am not implying that they should have been, for who really know the direction from which evil will approach! It is hard to imagine that it will rear it's ugly head at a movie house! That being said, one is left to wonder how different thing may have been if even one person had of been armed, and returned fire!
The correlation that I am making here is this! As smokers and EX'ers, every day we face elaborate plans by the tobacco industry and our own personal nicodemon! The nicodemon rears his ugly head in places that we have not prepared to deal with him! He has prepared thoroughly! He knows our weaknesses! He is ready, willing, and able to EXploit them! We must be ever vigilant! Arm yourself with knowledge, and be prepared to return fire! The addiction that lives with-in us is just as deadly an assassin as any we will ever encounter in our daily lives! The addiction is with us always, and we must be prepared to deal with it in every imaginable situation, and even in some that we can not imagine! Your fellow EXer's are here to provide you with all the weapons you need to defend yourself. Take advantage of the education and support available to you here! The nicodemon will come after you! Be alert! Be prepared! Defend your quit! Protect your health!
Tommy
